Pen-holder



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL I. RODRIGUE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

PEN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,320, dated June 21, 1887. 7

Application filed October 38, 1984. Serial No.14fi,fi76. (No model.)

T 0 (LZZ whom it TIMI/Z] concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL I. RODRIGUE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of San Francisco, in the State of California, have invented an Improved Pen-Holder; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the drawings that accompany and form a part of this specification. I

My invention relates to a novel pen-holding socket or tip for pen handles, and to the production of a pen-holder having certain elastic properties and qualities that afford increased flexibility and elasticity in the action of the pen, a firm and sure hold upon the pen under such conditions of free movement in use, great durability, and cheapuess of manufacture. In addition to these features and improved qualities, it combines certain features of adjustability for regulating the elastic action of the pen to accommodate any style and quality of hand. 7 v

The following description fully explains the nature of my said invention and the manner in which I proceed to make, produce, and use the same, the accompanying drawings being referred to by figures and letters.

A pen-handle, A, of any suitable shape and size, but preferably of wood, is cut. away at the head to form the reduced cy1indrical portion a, similar to that given to the ordinary straight wooden pen-handle before the barrel or pen-socket is fixed on it. It is desirable to have this reduced portion of uniform size from point to shoulder and to have it conform also, as far as practicable, to the curvature of the shank or body of the pen to be used in the pen-holder, for which purpose a handle for large size or broad pens will have a large diameter and a reduced" end portion correspondingly increased in size over a handle intended for smaller pens. Over this reduced portion of the handle a corrugated soft-rubber cylinder or ferrule, B, is fitted closely, so that ithugs the handle, and by virtue of its elasticity is retained in place without the need of any fastening. This part B is made of a section of soft-rubber tube corrugated, such as is now readily procuredfrom the manufacturer. This tubing is selected of a size to fit snugly over the reduced portion a, and is out to the length of this part from end to shoulder.

Figurel of the drawings is the handle with the portion a turned down. Fig. 2 shows the parts fitted together. Fig. 3 is a view showing the outer end of the rubber tube as corn pressed. Figs. 2 and 3 indicate the form of the complete handle.

In use, the pen is inserted between the wood and the surrounding rubber, and is pressed in to the distance required to hold it securely. Under the pressure of the hand when in operation this surrounding sleeve, by virtue of its great elasticity, permits the pen to yield and spring back from the wood at the end of the holder, but at the same time retains it securely in position against either outward or lateral movement, so that under all the movements to which it is subjected while in the hand the pen is held in the same position in its socket. The full elasticity of the metal then is secured, because the body of the pen is not rigidly clamped or confined, as'it is in a metal holder or a hard-rubber handle where the pen-socket is a circular slit in. the end; and in addition to this elastic quality the surrounding sleeve gives an increased flexibility. Such quality and action .are increased or diminisl1ed,-first, by setting the pen deeper into the socket between the wood and rubber, and, secondly, by drawing back the corrugated rubber sleeve from the end of the wood, so as to condense the rubber at the outer end and leave a portion of the wood exposed. This adj ustability, by which the action of the pen is stiffened, is shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings, in which case that portion of the rubber surrounding the pen is thickened and its elasticity reduced. To reduce this .quality still further, some of the wood will be exposed at the end, and in fitting the holder to the requirements of the penman it may in some cases be necessary to out off the surplus wood exposed in order to properly admit the pen. This, however,will be governed by the length of the pen used. When the outer end of the rubber becomes weakened bythe action of the ink or by long use, the opposite end of the rubber can be utilized by re versing the tube, end for end, on the handle. The peculiar construction of this handle like wise affords another means of attaining the same end-namely, by cutting off the wood and rubber as often as necessary to present a fresh portion. By affording a reasonable length of socket or holding portion, such elastie handle is serviceable for a long time,.as the rubber can be used down to within ashort distance of the inner end. Such pen-holder also gives great durability, as no metal whatever is employed in its construction, and its servieeability is greater than any metal or hard-rubber holder. The eorrugations,which are marked 1), are formed around the tube B in circumferential lines at right angles to the axial line of said tube and parallel with each other. They effect several purposes which cor rugations or roughening formed in any other Way do not accomplish. The circumferential parallel corrugations enable me to thicken or compress the lower or outer end of the tube, as shown in Fig. 3 and heretofore described, much more readily than any other form, as they close together and the spaces between them are first taken up.

The 1 ive circumferential strength to the tube and prevent the liability to longitudinal splitting, which is apt to occur in plane tubes, especially when they have beenin use some time. They also aid in preventing the loss of circumferential elasticity and reduce the liability of the rubber tube to become loose and inelastic, and thereby fail to grasp and hold the pen with the proper tension. At the same time they form a soft but reliable holding means for the hand of the penman.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A pen-holder consisting of a handle portion of wood or other suitable material and a tube or socket of soft rubber formed with parallel circumferential corrugations, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

MICHAEL T. RODRlGUE.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD E. OSBORN, JNo. L. TAGGARD. 

